S. African judge in hot water for making racial remarks

South Africa's Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday proposed to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha that Judge Mabel Jansen be placed on special leave following complaints over her racial remarks on social media.

The JSC said it noted with concern the public outcry, as well as print and social media coverage of the social media posts attributed to Jansen, a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria.

In a Facebook conversation with social justice activist Gillian Schutte, Jansen posted messages suggesting that rape is an ingrained part of black people's culture.

Judge Jansen's comments have sparked outrage from members of the legal fraternity, political parties and ordinary South Africans.

The JSC said in a statement that a complaint of alleged misconduct against Jansen can be lodged with the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) by way of an affidavit or an affirmed statement specifying the nature of the complaint and the facts on which the complaint is based.

Such a complaint will then be dealt with by the JCC in terms of the JSC Act, the JSC said.

"All Judges are subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct, which serves as the prevailing standard for judicial conduct which Judges must adhere to," the JSC said.

The JSC urged the public to allow that process to run its course and remain confident that the JCC shall deal with the matter in a just and proper manner.

A new wave of racial tension has gripped South Africa since the beginning of this year when Penny Sparrow, an estate agent, labelled black revellers on public beaches in Durban during the New Year as "monkeys".

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has laid charges against Sparrow and other individuals for promoting racism on social media. Endit